#Klipspruit teachers accused of 'terrorising' pupils

Johannesburg - The second day of the SA Human Rights Commission's (SAHRC) hearing into racism at Klipspruit-West Secondary School was off to a tense start as teachers at the school were fingered as having a hand in the disruptions at the school.

The four-day hearing, taking place in Eldorado Park and Braamfontein, was convened to probe the racism allegations at the school as well as unrest in Eldorado Park.

The first two sittings took place in Eldorado Park.

Making her submission during the first half of the second sitting was former School Governing Body member Shirley Matthews, who laid the blame for the unrest at the school squarely at the door of four black teachers.

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Video: Khanyisile Ngcobo

"We [the school] is suffering because those four teachers are terrorising our children. And it hasn't just been for the past two years, for years now."

"That's why we questioned, if they can do this [abuse kids], how worse will the incoming principal be."

She added that despite numerous complaints, no action had been taken against the teachers.

Matthews also denied allegations of racism at the school, saying the community had never shown any racism since she's lived there.

An irate Matthews also took a swipe at Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi for the way in which the SGB was disbanded.

"The first I heard of the disbandment was on TV... no proper channels were followed," she said.

The Patriots for Equality also made submissions, slamming process used in the appointment of a new principal and questioning the South African Democratic Teachers Union's (Sadtu) involvement in.

Klipspruit-West made headlines after a racial protest erupted over the hiring of a black principal in July.

It was believed that the largely coloured community wanted a coloured candidate to take over as principal.

The conflict also exposed racial tensions among black and coloured teachers.